A Very Grim Traffic Jam
by Alex Took
Summary: After Nick and Monroe get in an argument, all Nick wanted was a blutbad free weekend. But when he and Juliette get stuck in a traffic jam, the Grimm notices Monroe is in the car beside them and soon realizes there is no escape...
1. Never Make Fun of a Blutbad's Toy Trains

_**Author's Note**: Takes place soon before the season 1 finale. Enjoy and please **review**!_

* * *

What Nick Burkhardt didn't know as he parked his jeep outside of Monroe's house one Thursday evening, was that the Blutbad was already in a foul mood. Nick locked the car, slid his phone into his pocket and headed for the front door. The sun was setting and Nick glanced to the treeline when he noticed the moon beginning to rise, the full moon. He looked back to Monroe's home when a face appeared in the window before the curtains were zipped shut. Nick didn't think much of it and knocked on the door, the stained glass wolf reflecting the dim light from inside. He reached to knock again when heavy footsteps landed on the other side and the door swung open. Nick smiled.

"Hey, sorry. I know it's past 7. Hank had a flat tire and-" Nick trailed off as the unhappy expression on his friend's face registered. Monroe's brow was low, and the Grimm could have sworn there was a hint of red in his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Monroe threw out his arms. "Never mind, like I need to ask. Invite yourself in why don't you." Monroe turned his back on him as he rolled his eyes and headed into the living room, mumbling something to himself. Nick furrowed his brow as he shut the door behind him. What was he so angry about? He knew his friend was punctual, but being 10 minutes late was usually within the safety zone. Nick walked into the living room after Monroe. The blutbad took a sip of a green, chunky drink that was resting on an oak end table. Flashing his blutbad face for a moment as he was disgusted by the taste. "Man I hate this stuff. But its the only thing that lets me sleep on night's like these." Monroe raised his brow at Nick as he stared. "So what is it this time? Ziegevolk? Mellifer? Bauerschwein? Blutbad?" He gestured to himself as he headed to a window, shutting the blinds when a shaft of moonlight began to creep in.

"Nothing today actually." Monroe fixed him with a stare.

"Then you're interrupting my night for thrills or what?" Nick furrowed his brow.

"No..." he rested his hands on his hips. "I thought we were supposed to have dinner tonight?"

"What are you on man?" Monroe shook his head.

"I thought you said the 5th, 7 o'clock?"

"I most certainly did not." He snapped, with much more attitude than he would normally have. "I said the 7th at 5 o'clock." Monroe gave the Grimm a dirty look. "Yeah, like I would totally schedule a dinner at my house on a full moon."

"You guys get affected by that? But I thought-"

"Yeah it's wolf thing. Not just a werewolf thing." Monroe sighed itching at his skin as if he felt it wanting to shift. "Its not like I'm forced to change or anything but its in my blood to want to. I keep to myself in the dark with my nasty drink, alone," he glared at Nick. "And I'm usually fine."

"I'm sorry, I guess something got miss-communicated." He glanced to his phone.

"Obviously." He rolled his eyes. "Do you not know how to read man? I don't have a dinner for you, or me. Wasn't exactly expecting anyone." He glared at him.

"Well I guess you weren't."

"Glad we're finally on the same page." Nick bit his lip before shifting his weight.

"I'll just head home then I guess." Monroe stood stiff, before wiping his brow. Guilt beginning to seep through his moody full moon emotions.

"No, just stay all right. I've got some beer on the counter." Monroe headed to the kitchen, "Come on." Nick sighed and followed suit. As he walked into the dim lit kitchen, he noticed beer wasn't the only thing on the counter. Several boxes full of model trains, the price tags still on their boxes stacked the granite surface. "Excuse the mess." Monroe said as he carefully moved one of the boxes, while handing Nick a beer. "Well, not mess really." He leaned over to inspect one of the photos of the model train.

"Was there a sale at Toy's R Us or something?" Monroe slowly looked up at him. Nick's wasn't trying to sound this way, but the mood-swinging blutbad took every word he said with an antagonizing tone.

"Are you an idiot? Like I'd go there for this type of collection. This is pure online. Very carefully sought out. You can't get these kind of goods in store anymore. In Portland anyhow." Monroe uncapped his drink, not even bothering to pick up the cap. Nick knew for certain the blutbad was feeling off balanced.

"My mistake again." Nick raised his brow, taking a small sip.

"What else is new." Monroe carefully put back the boxed train as he stuck the six pack in the fridge. When his blutbad eyes spotted a soup in the corner. "And you are certainly not coming over tomorrow." He closed doors and looked to Nick.

"All right." He furrowed his dark brow.

"I've got plans."

"For that soup, or?" Nick, who was simply trying to make conversation, was saying all the wrong things to the blutbad.

"Yeah. And me, and someone else. So no calls, texts, or unexpected visits. Got it?" Nick held up his free hand.

"Got it." Monroe bit his lip before looking like the regular Monroe for a moment.

"I'm inviting Rosalee over for dinner. Its purely, platonic. I mean, or whatever... Its just you know, its the least I can do since she's helped us out so much." He paused, lowering his head and staring, pointing at Nick. "But just because there was an "us" in there doesn't mean you're invited." He sipped his beer.

"Again, got it."

"I'm using a few herbs from her shop in this recipe. Should be pretty good if I do say so myself." He rested the drink on the chopping block between he and Nick.

"Well, that's a good start." Nick said as he took another sip.

"To what?"

"You know... whatever you want." Monroe gave him a funny look.

"More like a good end, you put the herbs in last. Its a weird recipe."

"I actually meant you and Rosa-... never mind... so, you're gonna invite her over here huh? You planning on leaving all these trains out?"

"Yeah, I'm going to show them to her." Nick bit his lip, trying to decide whether it was worth sharing more of his opinion on the matter. Monroe stared at the quiet Grimm. "They're _really_ rare trains. Like, rarer than the way my Grandma cooked Bauerschwein rare." Nick knew now wasn't the time to ask about his grandma feeding him one of the Three Little Pigs and nodded his head.

"All right." Monroe cocked his head, his brow heavy.

"You have a problem with my trains?"

"I just, think... she might find it a little strange. That's all." Monroe narrowed his dark eyes.

"So the truth comes out."

"I'm just saying for a first date-"

"It's not a first date. It's just dinner." Monroe glanced away, scratching his head. "Jeeze."

"Okay... but if you know, you wanted it to be... Starting it off with showing her your toy trains might come off a little weird." Monroe fixed him with a narrowed stare once more.

"Taking dating advice from a Grimm, yeah that's a good idea."

"So you do admit its a date?" Little did Nick know, but Monroe had been fussing for days on this exact question. What he wanted, or what type of dinner he should make it, what should he serve. Candles? No candles? Flowers? Just soup? How did he feel about the Fuchsbau? And the fact that any friend, let alone a Grimm, was prying into that private matter set him off, even more. Monroe slammed down his beer, his heart pounding as his anger was tugging on his inner blutbad. Monroe's expression contorted as he fought his body from changing. His red eyes flashing for a moment as he kept them on Nick, whom stared, eyes wide.

"Just get the heck out of here all right, Nick? Don't you have a girlfriend to get home to? Or did she dump you when she denied your proposal? Sheesh, who'd marry a Grimm anyhow? Oh yeah, she doesn't even know. Secret keeping, that's a fun way to ruin a relationship." Monroe barked through a wild scowl before sipping his beer. Nick set his bottle down in front of him, eyes wide and unblinking. "Oh and now I get the sociopath stare?" Nick put his hands on his hips.

"I hope your mood swings are over by tomorrow night. Because if not, I've got a feeling that dinner isn't going to go so well." Nick turned his back to the blutbad and headed for the front door.

"Thank you, Detective obvious." Monroe mumbled. Nick looked over his shoulder. As if to say one last thing before Monroe began to approach him with a glare and Nick hurried out, slamming the door behind him. His headlights flashing across Monroe's face as he peered out the stained glass window."Someone's a grump."

It wasn't until the next morning, during his Pilates that the guilt began to sink in from what he had said to Nick. His mind was much more stable and he felt at ease. And after doing an extra set of Pilates (yes, throwing his schedule off by about half an hour) the embarrassed blutbad picked up his iphone and texted Nick:

**_8:12 AM_**

_** Hey. Sorry about last night. I wasn't really myself... I apologize for any hurt feelings.** _

After Monroe showered, and popped a mini bagel in the toaster he looked to his phone. Still no response. He sighed, spreading jam on the bagel. Had he been that rude? Thinking back on criticizing he and Juliette's relationship and remembering blowing up when Nick had questioned his own relationship er- more like hopeful one with Rosalee made him realize... yeah. He had been. Monroe sighed, picking up his phone again. Still no reply. He texted again:

_**8:48 AM**_

**_We cool man?_**

Still nothing. And to Monroe's worry, Nick had been ignoring him...

Nick's phone vibrated on the nightstand, making him bury his face in the pillow after taking a glance at it. Juliette shoved his shoulder from her side of the bed.

"Nick, I think you got a text." When his only response was a groan Juliette stopped brushing her hair and pushed on his head. "Come on get up sleepyhead. You gotta get to work."

"I know." He rolled over, running his hand over his face.

"You feeling better this morning?"

"Huh?" He asked, sitting up.

"Yeah, you were kind of in a bad mood when I got home last night." She kissed his forehead before getting up and slipping on her boots.

"Was I? Sorry, just a bad day I guess." His phone vibrated again.

**_9:01 AM_**

**_I was totally out of line. :/_**

Nick raised his brow in agreement to the text before setting his phone aside. "Well... that gives all the more reason for this weekend." Juliette said as she walked to his side of the bed and sat down.

"This weekend?" Nick asked, resting a hand on her back.

"I planned something special. It'll be fun." Nick smiled. Wondering how special was special. Could she be planning something to do with a ring? "We can go tomorrow. Now get up lazy butt. I gotta go. I have to do surgery in an hour." She kissed him before getting up and grabbing her purse. "Love you." She said as she went out the door.

"You too." Nick said as he slowly got out of bed, got dressed, and headed out to work.

The rest of the day for both blutbad and Grimm passed quickly. Nick was happy as he came home that evening after wrapping up a 2 week case that involved another Ziegevolk, making him want nothing to do with any sort of Wesen. Meanwhile, the Wesen Monroe, had a pleasant evening with Rosalee. The two chatted on into the night about a number of things, clocks, apothecary, and yes, even model trains. But Monroe tried to not get too excited on the matter. It ended with a hug, but another planned dinner for that coming week. And in the meantime... the next day Rosalee was taking a long drive out of Portland to deliver a load of herbs to a friend's shop and Monroe volunteered to go join her to keep her company.

Little did Nick know, who that night was still heavily annoyed with the blutbad, partly because he knew what he had said was true about secret keeping but didn't want to admit it, Juliette's special outing involved driving out the same direction as Rosalee and Monroe... and little did either of them know that half of Portland had the same idea... and that Nick's awkward avoidance of his wolf friend was about to take a whole new level.


	2. Jello Cups

"This is going to be so much fun, Nick." Juliette said as the two headed onto the freeway out of Portland, the morning sun spilling in through the windshield of Juliette's Volvo. Nick smiled.

"You're not going to give me any hints about where we're going are you?"

"No, then it wouldn't be surprise. Besides you're a detective." She raised her brow. "If I tell you one thing you'll probably be able to figure it out in seconds."

"Well the whole 'wear clothes you can get wet thing' and hiking boots was a little obvious."

"Excuse me, Mr." She said as she eased on the brakes. "There are a lot of places you can wear those clothes to."

"Fair enough." He said as he glanced down at his phone, looking at several texts he had received from Monroe an hour ago:

**7:53 AM**

**_Hey Nick, you getting my texts? In case not, sorry again for being a jerk._**

** 7:54 AM**

_**Though you're lucky, if you would have stumbled upon me 10 years ago on a full moon... let's just say I would have been a little meaner. Like, you missing an arm mean.**_

**8:00 AM**

**_Not that I'd ever do that. Ever. Its just... a blutbad thing._**

**8:01 AM**

**_An unreformed blutbad thing._**

**8:07 AM**

**_Sorry that was weird._**

He wasn't angry at Monroe, just still annoyed even though he knew the blutbad hadn't meant what he'd said. And after dealing with a Ziegevolk for 2 weeks straight, all he wanted a Wesen free Saturday.

"Turning this off." Nick said as he turned off the iphone, setting it on the console.

"Wow, thank you." Juliette said with a smile as she grabbed his hand with her free hand. "So I was thinking we could stop and buy some- oh no. Really?" Juliette pressed on the brakes as they came around a corner. Before the distant mountains, sat hoods of cars and windshields reflecting the sun for miles ahead, bumper to bumper traffic snaking around every bend."Ugh this sucks." She sighed. "I should have known everyone else would be heading out since its supposed to be such a warm weekend."

"Maybe it will speed up."

"Nick we're not even moving." The Grimm sighed, looking out his window at the car next to them. A happy yellow Labrador panting out the window before the car slowly inched forward. Over the next 45 minutes the couple moved only 100 yards down the road, the traffic wasn't improving nor moving. Only what seemed like an inch a minute, if that. "I'm sorry, I never should have gotten us into this mess. Who knows when we'll get there now. My plans going to be ruined." She sighed, leaning her head against the seat.

"It'll be fine. Nothing will be ruined."

"Our sandwiches are going to be all gross and mushy."

"Why don't we eat them now?"

"Good idea. They're in the red cooler."

"Got it." Nick leaned back, trying to reach it but he couldn't. He sighed. "You never saw this." He unbuckled his seat belt and climbed half way into the back. Accidentally kicking Juliette's elbow. Luckily, they weren't moving.

"What the heck are you doing, Nick?" She said through a smirk, looking back at him who looked all jeans and butt as he climbed over.

"Getting... our lunch." He groaned, fumbling for the cooler that had slid to the other side of the car. He sighed, wiggling himself all the way into the back. Just as his hand touched the lid on the cooler, Nick paused. Though he was on his knees, he could still see out the rolled down window... see the car feet away from them frozen in the other lane... see none other than Monroe. Looking out his open window. But Nick didn't stare long enough to notice the plants surrounding the blutbad, nor the fact that he was in the back of Rosalee's car before he dropped to the floor like a dead fly. Hitting his forehead on the cooler.

"Nick? Are you okay?" Juliette quickly craned her neck to see him. Nick lay flat and silent. If he were to make a peep, Monroe would hear him. Know he was there if he hadn't already seen Juliette. He looked down at the dirty floor of the car, the stinky carpet inches from his nose as he lay still. "Nick what are you doing?" He was silent. "Are you alive?" Juliette leaned around the seat and smacked his butt. "Nick!" The Grimm carefully propped himself on his elbows.

"I'm fine, I just slipped." Juliette raised her brow.

"But we weren't even moving. Are you sure you're okay? People don't normally just spazz out and collapse. That's called having a stroke."

"Which I clearly did not have."

"Okay... I guess I believe you." She looked back to the road, all the cars ahead and beside them including Rosalee's, were still unmoving.

"Yeah... I'm fine."

"If you're fine...then why aren't you getting up." Juliette looked at him from the rear view mirror.

"Its cooler down here."

"Okay..." Juliette said unconvinced as she looked back to the road. The Grimm took the chance to steal a peek at the other car when he noticed Monroe and could hear bits of his conversation. When suddenly it began to fade. Was their car moving? If they had moved up...that meant any second Monroe would be level with Juliette...

"Hey, you know!" Nick said with much more enthusiasm than he needed, trying to get her attention. "Why don't you join me back here."

"Oh yeah, that's a good idea."

"Well you said it yourself, we aren't moving..." What if Monroe _did_ see her? The blutbad hadn't seen Nick, but if he saw Juliette he may say hello, than ask about him. Find out that Nick was hiding from him. And Nick couldn't possibly explain to Juliette why... what Monroe had said to make him mad. This was supposed to be a Wesen free weekend. But what had he been thinking? He is a Grimm after all.

Nick sighed, beginning to sweat beneath his red sweatshirt...red. Monroe would certainly spot him if he saw him in red. Nick hastily began to pull off the sweatshirt, and as he did so, noticed that Monroe was gone. He was now staring at an empty window of different car. That meant... he looked ahead of him, and panicked as he realized Monroe was to be level with Juliette in seconds. "Hey! I mean really!" He said again with excess excitement, yanking off the rest of his sweatshirt. "Just come back here, it will be fun!" Juliette gave him a funny look as she saw, what looked like to her, her boyfriend undressing in the back of their stopped car, inviting her back with him as he rolled up his tinted window.

"Nick, what exactly are you suggesting...?" She raised her brow, looking at the surrounding vehicles. Nick wincing as her eyes skipped past Rosalee's car.

"We just don't spend enough time back here. It's a nice view. Yep..." He said, trying to sound convincing.

"Okay..." Juliette said still confused by his behavior. "You're acting a little strange Nick. How hard did you hit your head on the cooler?" Nick noticed Monroe was now level with Juliette and he panicked.

"Jello cups!" He shouted, making her jump.

"What?" Her brow was raised, and the nervous look plus the unusual exuberance in Nick was weirding her out.

"We can eat them back here." Juliette fixed him with a funny look.

"We don't have jello cups, Nick..."

"Well we've got one, I see it under your seat."

"What? I don't even buy jello cups." Nick he bit his lip as he glanced out the window again. Though all this time he had believed Monroe had not seen him...the amused blutbad most certainly had, and smelled him even longer ago...

"You doing okay back there?" Rosalee asked as she glanced back at the blutbad in the rear view mirror.

"Doing great." Monroe answered as he inspected a leaf on one of the plants seated beside him. "Just getting to know your green friends here. What's this one?"

"Oh, that's a Grün. Helps with infections."

"And this yellow fella?"

"Mehrjährige Pflanze. Us Fuchsbau love those flowers." He sniffed them, their sweet smell pungent to his wolf nose.

"I can see why.

"If you inhale it enough it can be used as a calming drug, to Fuchsbau anyway."

"So it's like a Fuchsbau Marijuana?"

"Similar to, there was this guy who used to sell it before tests at my high school." Monroe chuckled.

"I bet he had a lot of lunch money." She smirked.

"Not as much as my brother. See the blueish fern there."

"Oh yeah, I know what that one is just by the smell. Your brother sold aphrodisiacs in high school?"

"To his friends, mostly. And here's what I gave you for that soup." She handed him a carton of flowers. Monroe took a deep whiff.

"Its like I'm eating it all over again." He gently sat it back in front beside the potted tree that was taking the passengers seat. "So is it common for you to sell potted plants and things? I thought you did mostly, or all, dried goods?"

"I grow a few of my own to dry and sell, but no, I don't usually sell plants like these. This shop we're heading to tries to cross pollinate. He wants wants them alive."

"Sounds like a ransom notice. So does this guy-"

"Oh no." Rosalee sighed as they rounded a corner, facing the endless traffic jam. Unknowingly, 3 cars behind Nick and Juliette whom had also just entered the freeway. Monroe leaned over to peek at the cars.

"Guaranteed this is all because of the same Mauseherz that stopped up 17th for like, 3 hours last week. Apparently he freaked and crashed because he thought he saw a snake in his car. I wasn't there, but boy did I hear about it from a customer who was..."

"Some of these can't go more than 6 hours without water." Rosalee said worriedly as she inspected one of the leaves.

"Hey, these little guys are gonna make it. Worst comes to worst we raid that Gatorade truck up there and we're all good. Except for the corn syrup might not be so good." Rosalee smiled, slowing the car to a crawl. The brunette tapped her fingers on the console before looking over her shoulder at the blutbad.

"Last night was fun." Monroe jerked his head up from a flower he was inspecting.

"Yeah, yeah it was." He smiled a little before becoming distracted by a scent wafting in through his open window. He sniffed again, his head partially out of the window like a dog. Rosalee looked back at him.

"What is it?"

"Something...someone..." He took a deep whiff before locating the smell, coming from a Volvo a few cars ahead in the other lane.

"Yep. It's a Grimm." Rosalee's eyes widened.

"No no, I mean yeah. But the Nick kinda Grimm." He pulled his head back inside. "The Nick Burkhardt Grimm."

"Oh, where is he?"

"A few cars up. What'da ya know." He sniffed again. "And he's with Juliette by the smell of it. Unless he's wearing ladies deodorant. Wonder where they're going."

"I bet life's a juggle for her. Boyfriend is a Grimm and his good friend a blutbad." Monroe winced.

"Yeah, well she's kinda in the dark about both those things." Rosalee raised her brow.

"I mean, partially. But the Grimm thing, 100%."

"Is he ever going to tell her?"

"I keep tellin' him to. I kinda freaked on him the other night, he came over on the full moon..." Rosalee gave him a look. "Yeah, I know right? And I picked on him about that. I apologized to him, but I think he's giving me the silent treatment."

"Maybe he's just busy."

"Yeah, busy sitting in a car," he sniffed again. "With turkey sandwiches and Ritz crackers." Monroe looked out the window, the Volvo was now feet away, any second he and Nick would be eye level. At least then the Grimm would be forced to talk to him.

"Well, we're about to pull up next to him."

"Oh boy..." Monroe said, sitting up and looking out the open window. Rosalee slowed as she neared the bumper of the car in front of her and glanced over to Juliette's Volvo.

"Yeah, that's Nick." Rosalee smiled at them in case the Grimm looked their way, but the two were too busy conversing about something. Monroe's wolflike ears heard most of their conversation.

"They're talking about sandwiches." Rosalee looked back at him.

"Don't eavesdrop on them."

"Blutbaden never eavesdrop, we just have good ears" Rosalee raised her brow before looking back over at Nick. Whose back was now turned to her. Monroe was still listening intently before smirking with a furrowed brow when 'You never saw this' echoed into his ears. "What the heck is this guy doin'?" He watched as the cop unbuckled his seat belt and climbed into the backseat. "Oh man, I'm telling Hank." Monroe rolled down his window all the way as he watched Nick scoot towards his own window that faced the Blutbad. Monroe was about to lean out and say something to the Grimm, when suddenly his friends' large eyes flicked to the Blutbad's face before they vanished with the rest of him below the window.

"What the..." Monroe stuck his head out and could hear Juliette asking him if he was all right. "Seriously," Monroe nodded as he listen to Juliette's comments to Nick, who was still lying flat on the floor. "Yeah a stroke, I was thinking the same thing..."

"He had a stroke?" Rosalee spun about.

"No, I mean I hope not. I was gonna say 'hey' when he just flopped over like a fainting goat. I think the guys hiding from me." He sniffed. "He smells alive, and I can hear him mumbling." Monroe slyly observed, or he thought he was being sly, and listened to the scene for a few moments before noticing Nick's arm's in the air. Then his sweatshirt. "And now he's taking off his clothes..."

"What?" Rosalee spun about.

"And you look?" Monroe smirked, "don't ask me. And telling Juliette to..." Monroe trailed off before hunching in his seat with a funny look on his face.

"To...?" Rosalee asked, now doing anything but look in the direction of the the two.

"I don't really want to know."

"Our lane is moving." Rosalee said with relief in her tone.  
"Thank you traffic gods." Right as they were pulling away from the Volvo, the words "jello cups" echoed out loud enough for both Blutbad and Fuchsbau to hear. Monroe and Rosalee exchanged a look in the rear view mirror. "This just keeps getting weirder and weirder..." Monroe looked over at Juliette as he became adjacent with the woman, whose look on her face made it clear she was as weirded out by Nick as the Wesen in the car beside her.

Meanwhile... Juliette was indeed, weirded out...


	3. Hang Up!

Meanwhile... Juliette was indeed, weirded out.

"Nick, are you feeling okay?" She said as she looked back at Nick, whom was now staring like a startled deer at Monroe in the other car.

"I'm great..."

"Because you've been acting a little weird. And I don't mean just now. It's been ever since your aunt died."

"I'm doing fine." Juliette looked back at him.

"No you're not Nick." She rested a hand on his knee. "I've been thinking, and it seems like doing fun things with people might do you some good."

"We're doing something fun right now."

"No I mean, like friends Nick."

"You are my friend."

"Well yeah, but I mean like man friends. Co-workers not included, at least while at work. What about that clock guy? He was nice."

"Both agreed he was pretty weird too..." Nick trailed off as he watched, the clock guy, glance in his direction. Both Grimm and Blutbad making eye contact for the first time. Nick glared at him, shaking his head. Juliette looked back at him.

"Well you're acting pretty weird too Nick." Juliette aimlessly scanned the unmoving traffic when her eyes met Monroe's. Nick froze. "Hey isn't that him?" She smiled at him and Nick panicked.

"Oh no, a dog in the road." He said trying to sound convincing.

"What where?" Juliette frantically looked to where he was pointing, and as Monroe slowly crawled up the other lane Nick threw his hands in the air.

"I thought I saw one."

"Nick, you are acting, so weird. Look, you do have a bump on your head from the cooler." Nick did indeed, have a small swollen lump from when he had frantically dodged the blutbad's gaze.

"Do I?"

"Yeah. Do you feel dizzy at all?" Nick glanced over his shoulder, appearing like a paranoid Mauseherz. He actually was, feeling slightly so because of all his twisting and hiding.

"Maybe a little."

"Just try holding still for a little while." As Nick realized Monroe was several cars back, he decided it was safe to move to the front seat once more. But he picked the wrong moment, for Juliette pressed on the gas as a small space freed up in their lane. As Nick began to climb back in front, the sudden movement of the car sent him crashing into the dashboard. "What the heck are you doing Nick? I'm starting to think you need a car seat!" Nick winced as he uncurled his hand he had smashed and settled into his seat.

"Sorry."

Meanwhile...

"So what did you guys fight about again?" Rosalee asked, amused by the two grown men's childish behavior.

"I wouldn't call it a fight exactly. I just told him that keeping secrets in a relationship isn't exactly a good thing and that she might not be so keen on marrying a Grimm. If she ever found out he is one that is. But I didn't say it all too nicely."

"Well, those are good points." Monroe smiled to himself.

"I'm glad you agree. I mean, he knows it all. And that's probably why he's ignoring me. Doesn't want to face the gnarly facts." The traffic began to flow slightly, moving them all about a mile down the road. Both Grimm and Blutbad thankful for the separation... or so thought, separation. It wasn't until both men happened to roll down their windows at the same time that they realized they were beside each other once more. Monroe caught whiff of the Grimm before knocking on the side of Rosalee's car to get his attention. Nick glanced over before his eyes widened through his closed window. He glared, shaking his head at the blutbad before rolling down his window half way, his eyes just over the top of the glass.

"Hows it going over there?" Monroe said, his head out the window.

Nick stared silently before rolling the glass down an inch and whispering out a, "Go away!" Before rolling it back up an inch once more. Juliette heard him and slowly looked in his direction, not noticing Monroe beside them.

"What did you say?"

"What? I didn't say anything."

"Okay..."

"So where you guys headed?" Monroe asked, still hanging out the window. Nick glared before rolling the window down an inch then up again after mumbling in Monroe's direction.

"I'm not talking to you." He knew even through a quiet mumble the blutbad could still hear him. But he didn't know, Juliette also had.

"Then who exactly are you talking to...?" But Nick didn't hear her as he became distracted by his buzzing phone. He glanced over to Monroe, whom was smiling at him while holding up his iphone. "I thought you turned that off."

"So did I." Nick asked before snatching it up and eying the blutbad before reading it.

Monroe smirked to himself as he watched Nick read the text. "Uh oh here we go, got a text back."

**From Nick Burkhardt,** **11:54 AM**

_**stop it.**_

"Why won't he just talk to you since you're right next to him?" Rosalee said as she stole a peek at the Grimm.

"I'm guessing because Juliette doesn't know we're friends. So that'd be one more thing to explain to her." He said loud enough so the Grimm could hear. He simply received a glare in response before Monroe watched the dark haired man set to work on what looked like drawing something on his phone. A few seconds later, Nick pressed against the glass the screen of his smartphone that read in sloppy red digital paint "hang up."

"Hang up?" Monroe scoffed with a smile. "The dude's crazy. We're not on the phone!" He shouted at the Grimm as his face and message pressed against the window began to fall behind as their car crawled up the lane. While the blutbad was still fairly close, Nick shouted.

"Than go away!" Juliette spun about at her boyfriend's shout.

"What's the matter with you, Nick? Who are you yelling at?" Nick decided it was time to give in and tell her the truth... the truth about whom he was childishly bickering with that is.

"It's Mon-" But Juliette cut him off as she noticed there was not a blutbad in a sweater next to them, but a mini van had taken their place, with a small child beginning to cry as he looked in Nick's direction.

"Were you yelling at that little kid?" She asked in shock.

"No, no no. My friend, I mean. This guy-"

"You were or you weren't?" She asked incredulously.

"I was not. There _was_ a guy there. But now he is gone."

"Well that's convenient." Nick held up his arms.

"Well that's the truth."

"So you were yelling at a stranger?" Juliette asked as she looked at the time on her phone. "Oh shoot. It's already noon." She sighed. "Once we get through this mess its still another hour. I hope we don't miss it."

"Miss what?" Nick asked, both honestly curious and desperately wanting to change the subject. Juliette bit her lip before looking to him.

"The sunset. That was supposed to be the surprise. I booked a kayak rental at Evergreen Lake and I wanted us to-"

"Row out to that little island you and your dad used to go to?" She smiled, grabbing his hand.

"You remembered that? Aww." Nick smiled and squeezed her hand, remembering the stories she had told him about the view from the island at sunset. "In this craziness we might not even get there by sunset."

"Not so sure about that, look. Its either a mirage or those cars are moving."

"Oh look, that truck just went around the corner. We are moving!"

"See, everything is fine?" A sense of freedom gripped them as the car began to gently move down the freeway.

"Good. Why don't you eat something so you aren't so grumpy and yelling at random strangers." Nick nodded before relaxing in his seat.


	4. The Final Battle: Blutbad Vs Grimmlet

Rosalee and Monroe sped down the highway, having a pleasant conversation after briefly discussing the odd happenings between the blutbad and Nick during the traffic jam. The movement of the cars had quickly sped up an what had caused the jam remained a mystery. But Monroe was still highly suspicious of a Mauseherz being involved. They drove about an hour after being freed from the traffic jam when they passed a sign that caught Rosalee's attention. "Evergreen Lake... that's why that sounds familiar."

"Pardon me?" Monroe asked, looking up from adjusting a plant that had fallen over.

"This lake coming up, Evergreen?"

"Oh yeah, I know it. The things I used to do there... that you don't need to know. You were saying?" Rosalee smirked.

"Well I was reading in a magazine the other day that there's this fern that grows along the bank there, and can only be found in a few places in Oregon. It has something to do with the minerals in that lake that allows them to flourish."

"So we need to take a little pit stop? I'm all for that." Monroe nodded as they passed a sign that read "**Evergreen Lake, ½ mile**." Little did he know, Nick and Juliette would pass the same sign several minutes later.

"Yeah, the guy I'm taking them to wants to cross pollinate those with those orange flowers next to you. He's going to be really excited. Plus, I think we both could agree some fresh air would do us some good."

"I like the way you think."

It took 5 minutes down a narrow mountain road, passing 'beware of bears' signs and campground directions until they pulled up at a parking lot before a lake. The afternoon sky shimmering atop it's smooth blue surface. The heavy trees bordering the shores dancing amongst the small waves created from Kayakers.

"This place is even more beautiful than I remember. Wow." Monroe awed as he took in the sight, his sweatered arms resting on his hips.

"I'm sure its easier to see without going through Woge with blood driving you through the woods." Monroe smirked.

"Boy, you sure do know the blutbad." Rosalee smiled as the two headed towards a trail.

"Not as well as I might like to." The brunette smiled over her shoulder. Monroe nodded to himself, suppressing a smile.

The two wandered the path till they found a thick patch of the plant, and Monroe helped Rosalee gather the fern per her specific instructions, before placing them in a baggy and heading back towards the parking lot. Where unbeknownst to them, Nick and Juliette were also pulling into. But the Blutbad and Fuchsbau paused to overlook the lake, watching a small pod of ducklings float by. Admiring their cute little faces and tasty looking bodies.

"If I wasn't a vegetarian..." Rosalee smirked.

"I've never actually been too fond of duck."

"Seriously? Even in, ya know, full Woge?" She nodded.

"We ate a lot of rabbit and mice growing up." Monroe raised his brow.

"Boy, wish I could say the same. You know those little gold fish crackers you can buy? Yeah, that's what rabbits were to us. My Grandpa got my dad hooked on the whole "eat thine enemy" sort of thing. Once this guy did a hit and run and almost killed me and my family while we were in my dad's truck. So he sniffed him out, and the dude was Thanksgiving dinner a day later." Rosalee gave him a funny look. "Sorry, come from a family of Big Bad Wolves. But I may be big, but bad no more." The brunette looked over his layered sweaters matched with his mustard corduroy pants and smiled. When the sound of a door slamming caught their attention.

"We should probably get going." The two headed back towards the parking lot down a small muddy trail. "You can hang out here for a second, I'm going to go get some water from the restroom to water the plants."

"Need any help?" Monroe asked with his hands in his pockets as he stood before the lake.

"I'm good." She said as she headed back towards the car.

"All right." Monroe answered as he wandered towards a small dock. He smiled to himself, he and Rosalee got along great. Really great if he didn't mind saying so himself. He looked out the serene view, a flock of geese were taking off from across the lake, a doe was hopping across a trail, and several kayakers were silhouetted against the afternoon sun. It was a beautiful view, and Nick Burkhardt thought the same thing as he stepped out of the Volvo.

"Told you it'd be worth it." Juliette said as she looked over at Nick.

"Wow." He said with a smile.

"See look, right over there. That's the island." She pointed to a small wooded lump that sat across the lake. Pointing directly over a tall sweatered man's head as he overlooked the same view. "I gotta pee, I'll be right back. You should go down and take a look." Nick nodded to her and he headed down a cement path towards a little dock.

Monroe meanwhile, had his eyes closed, arms behind his back as he took a deep whiff of mountain air. The sweet smells of the trees brought back memories of years past, and the smell of...the smell of a Grimm. "Which I did not smell here... ever before..." Monroe took another whiff before spinning about. The henley garbed Grimm's boots just landing on the wooden deck when their eyes met.

Nick's arms fell to his sides. "You have got to be kidding me."

And at the same time, Monroe groaned a "Seriously? Are you stalking me or something?"

"I should be asking you that question."

"Yeah, except for the fact that we got here before you." Nick clenched his jaw.

"Then what are you doing here."

"Rosalee wanted to stop to get some plants."

"Wait a minute, you're with Rosalee?"

"Um yeah duh. Who else's car did you think I was squatting in the back of?" Nick hadn't taken the time to think of the answer to that question during his panic in the traffic jam.

"I don't know." The two stood awkwardly silent, Monroe towering before the Grimm.

"So, I see your phone is working fine. Nice artwork back there." Nick looked away from him.

"I don't know what to say to you. Other than I'm supposed to excuse you because you were just being a blutbad."

"You could at least acknowledge me."

"What do you think I was doing back there?"

"Hiding in the back of your car from the big bad wolf next door that's what."

"Look, I just didn't want Juliette to see you."

"I came over for dinner once, she's knows who I am. It wouldn't have been that-"

"Yes it would have. Because then, I'd have to explain why I was avoiding you, and I couldn't tell her that."

"You're digging your own grave man."

"I'm going to tell her."

"If I had a Mauseherz for every time you said that I could make bank off a Lausenschlange." Nick looked away from him.

"Look, I just need to find the right time."

"Stop using that excuse, there's never going to be a right time for you to say 'hey guess what, my life is plagued with monsters trying to kill me and I have to kill them, and they might, very possibly, kill you. So let's set a wedding date and pop the champagne.' Man up dude, stop being a little Grimmlet and tell her already."

"What did you just call me?"

"A Grimmlet."

"What's a Grimmlet?"

"I don't know I made it up, but the way you're annoying me right now it seems pretty fitting." Nick, who hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, had a headache from being dehydrated, and was annoyed with any Wesen at the moment, especially the one standing before him, had little to no patience left in him and found himself shoving the blutbad.

"Wow, what the heck dude?" Monroe said through a glare as he caught himself.

"Why don't you just go take a swim." Nick snapped.

"I think you're the only one who needs to cool off." Monroe reached to shove Nick back, and used more force than he meant to. A lot more. Like, Nick falling backwards into the water more. "Oh crap." Monroe got on his knees and reached an arm out for him as he came to the surface. Right at that moment, Juliette and Rosalee both were coming out from the bathroom and spotted the sight.

"Oh no, someone fell in?" Rosalee asked.

"Oh no, that's Nick. He was feeling dizzy earlier, he must have passed out or something!"

"Come on." Rosalee said as the two wom hurried down, and in the two women's eyes, Monroe was saving the weak Nick with his gray tweed heroic arms. Not that he had actually, accidentally, pushed him in. They watched as the blutbad hauled the coughing, and completely drenched Grimm from the water.

"Nick are you okay?" Juliette shouted, Nick still in the blutbad's arms.

"I'm fine." He coughed.

"Thank goodness you were here, Monroe." The blutbad smiled at Juliette.

"Yeah, well I..." But he trailed off when he caught sight of the look on Rosalee's face. And Rosalee was too, speechless as she took in the sight. Monroe stood, silhouetted, with a coughing Nick in his arms. The way the sun was shining behind him, his big muscles beneath his grey sweater holding up the rescued Grimm. He looked... so heroic. And she liked it.

"You can put me down now." Monroe looked away from Rosalee and nodded quickly.

"Of course. Sorry. You'll be fine, won't you Nick?" He said as he eased Nick to his feet, realizing how much his arms were burning after holding up Nick longer than he needed to before the impressed Fuchbau. Nick, whose dark hair was plastered to his face, gave him a stare.

"Just fine. Probably wouldn't be like this if it weren't for you."

"He's right Monroe, thank you. I've got a blanket in the car, come on. Did you pass out? I knew I was right being worried about that lump of yours." They could hear Juliette saying, her arm around the soaking wet Grimm as they headed back to the car.

"Good job, blutbad." Rosalee smiled. And Monroe realized how much of a lifesaver he must have seemed to her if she hadn't seen him push the Grimm. And he also realized, the idea of her praise for such an act made him feel... well... very un-blutbad like inside but in the best way possible. She rested a hand on his shoulder. Monroe flicking his eyes to it with an unsuppressed smile. "I'm sure Nick will forgive you now." Monroe raised his brow.

"You know, he does owe me a few." She smirked as the two Wesen headed back towards the parking lot. Where they could hear Juliette saying something about a battery.

"Uh oh." Monroe said as they neared.

"It won't start." Juliette groaned, glancing up at Monroe.

"I'm trying to get the car to start to get the heater on for him but its like its dead. Did you ever get the battery changed Nick?" Juliette asked him as she turned to face Nick, who had taken off his wet shirt and put on his red sweatshirt once more. He sighed with a guilty look on his face.

"I'm sorry I forgot." Juliette sighed before Monroe poked his head inside.

"Why don't you guys just ride with us? I mean, if you don't mind of course."

Rosalee nodded. "Great idea, I'll go try and make room."

"Thank you guys so much. We don't even have much point to stick around, all the kayaks are rented and by the time we get one the sun will have set. So again, thank you."

"No problem." Rosalee smiled.

Juliette shut the car door, leaving Nick alone in the car. Looking like a tired child who had spent too long swimming at the pool, bundled in a sweatshirt with hair all in his face.

"Its no big deal. We just gotta drop those plants off a few miles up and we're good to go." Monroe said, glancing at Nick.

"I'll go help her out, you, drink that Gatorade. You need the sugar." Juliette pointed to Nick before joining Rosalee in rearranging the plants. He nodded, and Monroe smirked at him through the glass.

"You know all those secret agent blutbad missions you owe me for? Let's say we're even." Nick simply stared before Monroe went and helped make room in the other car. Once settled and Juliette had called a tow-truck for their Volvo, she and Nick gathered all they needed from their car and squished into Rosalee's. Juliet sitting in the front seat with a large pot on her lap, and flowers at her feet. And squished in the back, like two kids who had spent too much time at camp together, Monroe and Nick sat side by side.

"Do you mind?" Nick mumbled as they drove out of the park, Juliette and Rosalee engrossed in a conversation about the plants surrounding them.

"I'm sorry my elbow doesn't exactly have anywhere else to go." The two men sat silent for several minutes before Monroe's phone buzzed. He gave Nick a funny look. It was from Nick.

**3:07 PM**

_**you pushed me in.**_

Monroe raised his brow and texted him back.

**From Monroe 3:07 PM**

_**It was an accident.**_

**3:08 PM**

_**sure. I believe you.**_

**From Monroe 3:08 PM**

_**I see my sarcasm is rubbing off on you.**_

The two men sat silent as they texted back and fourth, their phones inches away from each other.

**From Monroe 3:10 PM**

_**So, did you see Rosalee's face when after I pulled you up?**_

**3:11 PM**

_**no.**_

**From Monroe 3:11 PM**

_**Well she was impressed. Totally digging the whole savior thing.**_

**3:12 PM**

_**what.**_

**From Monroe 3:12 PM**

_**She thought I'd saved you, didn't exactly know I accidentally pushed you in.**_

**3:13 PM**

_**thats obvious.**_

**3:13 PM**

_**p.s. definition of accidentally: not on purpose.**_

**From Monroe 3:13 PM**

_**So you did got to kindergarten? Nick gave him a silent stare before looking back to his phone.**_

**From Monroe 3:14 PM**

_**All I'm saying is she seems to you know. Possibly...**_

**3:15**

_**like you.**_

**From Monroe 3:16 PM  
**

_**I don't know. I mean, some Wesen do courtship differently.**_

**From Monroe 3:16 PM**

_**I'm pretty good at reading canine Wesen, but- **_His text was interrupted by another from Nick.

**3:17 PM**

_**so...**_

**From Monroe 3:17 PM**

_**What?**_

**3:17 PM**

_**it was a date then.**_

Monroe raised his brow and fixed the Grimm who was fighting a smirk, with a stare. "Seriously?" The blutbad said out loud. Monroe smiled to himself as he glanced to Rosalee before texting Nick again.

**From Monroe 3:18 PM**

_**Here we go again...**_

* * *

_**Thank you so much to all who read this story! **__**And thank you for all your wonderful reviews! **__**I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it, I hope to write another Grimm story soon! Please review, and thank you!  
**_


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